(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel (PDP), and more particularly, to a PDP that forms dummy barrier ribs in non-display regions.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Plasma display panels (PDPs) are emerging as one of the most popular flat panel display configurations used for wall-mounted televisions and other similar large-screen display applications. Predetermined images are displayed on the PDP using a discharge mechanism of discharge cells. The PDPs typically include a centrally located display region (i.e., discharge region) surrounded by non-display regions (i.e., non-discharge regions). For example, for a rectangular PDP, a centrally located rectangular display region is surrounded by four non-display regions that are adjacent, respectively, to top, bottom, left and right edges of the PDP. In a typical PDP, the top and bottom edges may be referred to as long side edges while the left and right edges may be referred to as short side edges.
The discharge cells are formed using barrier ribs that are provided on a substrate in a predetermined pattern (e.g., a striped or lattice pattern). The barrier ribs include real barrier ribs (hereinafter referred to simply as ‘barrier ribs’), which are provided in a display region, and dummy barrier ribs, which are provided in areas other than the display region, that is, in a non-display region. The term ‘barrier ribs’ may also be used when referring to both the real and dummy barrier ribs together. For instance, the dummy barrier ribs refer to the barrier ribs or a portion thereof that are in the non-display regions such that structural elements of the PDP, that is, a dielectric layer, a protection layer, address electrodes, barrier ribs, and phosphors may be formed in the display region to a stable thickness.
However, in conventional PDPs, the dummy barrier ribs, when used, are formed only in a direction, with respect to the discharge region, towards the short side edges of substrates (assuming the substrates are rectangular in shape) forming the PDP, and not in a direction, with respect to the discharge region, towards the long side edges of the substrates. In other words, the dummy barrier ribs are formed in the non-discharge regions that are adjacent to the short side edges of the substrates and not in the non-discharge regions that are adjacent to the long side edges of the substrates. As a result, when manufacturing the PDP structured in this manner, gaps are formed between one of the two substrates and the barrier ribs during the sealing and exhausting (i.e., vacuuming) processes. These gaps result in the generation of noise during operation of the PDP. This will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a conventional PDP. As shown in FIG. 10, barrier ribs 5 define discharge cells that are formed between two substrates 1 and 3. The substrates 1 and 3 are sealed using an adhesive material such as frit 7. The barrier ribs 5 are formed in an established discharge region (or display region) 9. The substrates 1 and 3 are substantially rectangular having short sides and long sides. Dummy barrier ribs (not shown) may be formed in areas outside the discharge region 9, only in non-discharge regions (or non-display regions) 11 that are adjacent to short side edges (and not in non-discharge regions that are adjacent to long side edges) of the substrates.
When performing sealing and exhaust during manufacture of the PDP structured as in the above, a plurality of sealant clips 13 are attached along the long sides of the substrates 1 and 3. The sealant clips 13 apply pressure to the substrates 1 and 3 in a direction toward each other.
However, in this process, the sealant clips 13 make contact with areas of the substrates 1 and 3 between where the frit 7 and the barrier ribs 5 are positioned as shown in FIG. 11, that is, in an empty area between the frit 7 and the barrier ribs 5. As a result, when the sealant clips 13 apply the force needed to ensure an airtight seal between the substrates 1 and 3, at least one of the two substrates 1 and 3 (e.g., the substrate 3 in FIG. 11) is deformed such that minute gaps form between the at least one of the two substrates 1 and 3, and the barrier ribs 5.
If these gaps remain in the final PDP product after sealing the substrates and performing other final processes, noise is generated during operation of the PDP as described above. This significantly reduces the overall quality of the PDP.